Outdoor market in St. Cloud embraces global variety

After noticing the success of Sartell food vendor Kalahari Foods, the Central Minnesota Sustainability Project is hosting the inaugural Great River Global Market from noon-4 p.m. Saturday.

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Chicken suya kebabs and rice are prepared and ready for customers <137>Wednesday,<137> July 2 at the Kalahari Foods stand at Summertime by George! Kalahari will have food available at the Great River Global Market. If successful, more global markets will be scheduled.<137,2014/07/07,Peterson/c Emily1> in St. Cloud.<137>(Photo:
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Story Highlights

Central Minnesota Sustainability Project is hosting the first Great River Global Market on Saturday

The global market was inspired by the success of Sartell food vendor Kalahari Foods

Kalahari Foods is run by Ghana natives Isaac and Rosemond Owens and sells chicken and goat kebabs

A line forms outside the Kalahari Foods stand at Summertime by George!

It will remain steadily busy for most of the night.

"You have to do the right thing and let your customers wait — never rush the chef," said Isaac Owens, a Ghana native who co-created Kalahari Foods in 2007 with his wife Rosemond.

"If there's a line, you can start rushing and making mistakes."

Isaac Owens moves at his own pace. And it's proven to be a wise method.

The success of Kalahari Foods, which sells rice, and chicken and goat kebabs, has inspired the Central Minnesota Sustainability Project to create the Great River Global Market.

The outdoor market will debut from noon-4 p.m. Saturday during the St. Cloud Walkabout at the corner of Sixth Avenue North and St. Germain Street.

The market is open to customers not on the Walkabout.

There will be translators present to eliminate any language barriers.

If successful, more global markets will be scheduled.

"Our goal is to have a permanent global marketplace downtown," said Autumn Brown, executive director of the Central Minnesota Sustainability Project.

"The idea behind it is twofold: Part is recognizing the incredible diversity in this community, and also this offers incubator space for people who want to be entrepreneurs."

Owens, who now lives in Sartell, has slowly built his success.

"First thing, we didn't know what we were doing," Owens said. "But you stick to your guns and do the right thing.

"You have to follow the regulations and rules of the community you live in."

Owens said Kalahari Foods has put a large focus on sanitation. It also keep its menu the same each week.

"To be successful, you don't break any rules, and you don't cut any corners," he said.

A big challenge for immigrant entrepreneurs is licensing and insurance.

"We are trying to help young entrepreneurs navigate through the whole process," said Sarah Drake. She is coordinator at the Collaborative for a Culturally Diverse Economy, a joint initiative between St. Cloud-area community institutions and businesses. "Because it can be a very complicated and confusing process."

After noticing the success of local vendors like Kalahari Foods, the Central Minnesota Sustainability Project began discussing having a global market in 2010.

While the process has been slow, Saturday will be the culmination of efforts to include minority business owners.

The popularity of television food shows that feature other countries has helped the process.

Some of Saturday's vendors are experienced, while others are exploring their first business venture.

"We are hoping this is a great transitional moment," Brown said. "Diversity is a huge asset to our community growth. It's important to building our local economy and keeping the wealth in the community. It's a win-win for everybody."

But Brown doesn't want to limit the Great River Global Market to minority vendors.

"To have a truly global market you have to include the white community," Brown said. "I've always been impressed with Central Minnesota being rooted in European ethnicities. There's a strong German food tradition and a strong Norwegian food tradition here, and they could help grow the market to a truly global event."

If you go ...

What: Great River Global Market, which includes a variety of vendors selling food, clothing and other products.

Where: On the corner of Sixth Avenue North and St. Germain Street. It is part of the St. Cloud Walkabout route.